Many historians contend that the Great Game ended in 1907 with the signing of the Anglo-Russian Convention of 1907 which settled the posturing between the Russians and English in Persia, Afghanistan and Tibet – the three important Great Game countries. Historians have given different reasons for why the Russians and English entered into this agreement. Some of have said that it was because both countries needed to focus on European issues and could not afford to be distracted by Central Asian issues. Others have suggested that the British finally realized that they were no match for Russia’s overwhelming military might.
This book is a detailed examination of these theories. The author contends that the Great Game did not end with the signing of this agreement, it simply took a different form. Furthermore, she argues against those historians who argue that the genesis of this agreement was a need to focus on European issues. For the most part her analysis is thorough and convincing.
For those of you interested in the Great Game I would highly recommend this book.
3 comments:
From what I have read before, the British really had very little aspirations beyond India and maybe Afghanistan in Central Asia. Much of their movement in the area was posturing and countermoves against. the Tsarist expansion.
Sounds like a good book that presents a slightly different view.
Very much enjoying your focus on the Great Game. Are you starting to see the genesis of that period's events more and more in today's middle east?
It's all a precursor to focusing on the Mad Game. It is difficult to draw any direct causal relationships between the Great Game and the Middle East today. You could argue that 19th/20th century colonialism slowed the progress of these countries resulting in the poverty and lack of education that we see in the Middle East today, but I think that that is a tenuous and difficult argument to make.
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